Sherdog.com Illustration
Unbeaten in his last five appearances, Fujiwara has not lost under the Zst banner in more than three years. The 28-year-old Dream veteran has defeated Shimizu and his older brother, Shunichi Shimizu, twice each in his 17-bout career.
In the co-main event Alliance-Square representative Kenichi Ito snapped a three-fight winless streak, as he submitted Sengoku Raiden Championship alum Yoshitaka Abe with an opening-round heel hook. The tapout came 3:52 into round one. Abe entered the bout on the strength of three consecutive victories.
Finally, UFC and Pride Fighting Championships veteran Naoyuki Kotani recorded the 19th submission win of his career, as he put away Keigo Hirayama with a guillotine choke 1:44 into their encounter. The 29-year-old Kotani went winless in two UFC appearances back in 2007.
Ultimate Challenge MMA welterweight titleholder John Maguire kept a firm grip on his belt, as he submitted “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 alum Dean Amasinger with a second-round rear-naked choke in the UCMMA “Face Off” headliner on Saturday at The Troxy in London. The end came 3:28 into round two.
The surging Maguire has posted six wins in his past eight appearances, including three in a row. The 27-year-old Brit now owns more than half of his 14 victories by submission. Amasinger -- a qualifier on Season 9 of “The Ultimate Fighter” -- had won seven of his previous eight matches. The Team Rough House representative has failed in two bids to capture the UCMMA welterweight crown.
Meanwhile, Tim Radcliffe lifted the UCMMA lightweight championship from Michael Pastou, as he knocked out the Cage Rage veteran with a first-round head kick in the co-main event. The blow brought a decisive end to their bout with just 31 seconds remaining in the opening stanza. Radcliffe improved to 3-1 inside the promotion.
Other winners at UCMMA “Face Off” included Linton Vassell (first-round technical knockout over Rolandas Cizaujas), Denniston Sutherland (unanimous decision against Jack Mason), Bola Omoyele (first-round TKO over Brendon Cookman) and the undefeated Luke Newman (first-round TKO against Charles Scott).
Reader comments are active below. Register an opinion by signing in with your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Yahoo! account.
view original article >>